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The chainstays are tall and fat while the seatstays are relatively slender

(James Huang)

Specialized's new Renegade tyre looks to be especially fast on hardpack

(James Huang)

Just in case you were wondering

(James Huang)

Like many lighter riders, reigning UCI U23 cross-country mountain bike world champion Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Team) places a high importance on equipment weight. Little tweaks here and there may only shave a few grams but when you weigh just 10 stone (65kg/143lb), it doesn't take much to feel a difference.

Regardless, even Stander understands that weight isn't everything as he added a 29er hardtail – with its heavier wheels and all – to his quiver of race machines this season. This proved to be the perfect choice for last month's high-speed and non-technical Sea Otter Classic course, where he raced the new bike for the first time and won in a three-up sprint over Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain).

Old habits die hard, though, as Stander's Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper Carbon HT 29er is no boat anchor and displays a wealth of tweaks to bring it down to an impressive 9.23kg (20.35lb) fighting weight.

The foundation is Specialized's top-end S-Works Stumpjumper Carbon HT 29er frame, claimed to weigh just 1,130g (2.49lb) with a tapered head tube, chunky down tube and chainstays, and integrated bottom bracket.

Mounted up front is the Specialized/RockShox collaborative Reba S29 fork, which uses stock upper tubes and lower legs but a carbon fibre crown and steerer assembly and inertia valve damper internals for a racier feel, especially in combination with Stander's preferred high air pressure.

Componentry comes mostly from SRAM's ultralight XX 2x10 group but with a few substitutions in key areas. New XX-compatible Rotor Q-Rings are bolted to Specialized's own S-Works carbon fibre crankarms with Carbon-Ti bolts, and the rear XX brake calliper adapter is mounted with red-anodised alloy hardware.

The Specialized label is also applied to the Roval Control ES 29 wheelset with its tubeless-compatible rims, 2:1 lacing pattern and interchangeable front hub fitments; the still-prototype Renegade 29 low-knob tyres set at 26psi and converted to tubeless; the carbon fibre S-Works crankset; the S-Works Pro-Set stem; a single carbon fibre bottle cage; and the new Romin SL saddle.

At 5ft 9in (1.74m) tall, Stander clearly has some issues getting the front end low enough for his liking. In addition to the flat bar, the stem is set at an unusually aggressive -16° angle and even the upper headset cover is removed to save a few millimeters.

Fit issues aside, Stander's immediate success on his new 29er means we'll likely see him on it more as the season progresses. Watch out for it at this weekend's World Cup round in Offenburg, Germany.